Device for teaching time in music



Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

LFVIS W. SCUTT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Application filed October 24, li.

in volition accomi'ianyng drawing in which,

Altig'. l a plan view;

iig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 23 is an end elevation;

Fig, 4f is a cross section on the line eiwit oit' Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a detail 'view ot the settzible devices for subdividing the slots for time in d icati on.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the device is shown as incliiiding a buse l and a standard or support including an angular strap having arms 2, 3 and Ll. The arm 2 is movably secured to the base l by a bolt 5 and a Wing nut 6. The arm 4 extends in a horizontal direction and has a slot 7 formed therein, the said slot extending inwardly :from one side edge of the arm. A pendulum arm 8 having a Weight 9 secured thereto carries a clip 10 having vertically extending arms 11, the lower edges of Which are beveled to form a knikte edge that rests on the arm It over the marginal edges of the slot 7, thereby supporting the pendulum arm for rocking movement.

A guard in the form of a U-shaped plate 12 is pivoted to the arm 4; at 13 and is adapted to swing inwardly to prevent the pendulum arm from moving out ot the slot 7. The pendulum arm belovT the arm l is provided with a clip 14 that has lateral wings 1.5,said Wings constituting stop de vices to limit the throw of the pendulum arm.

In order to control the rate ot swing of the pendulum arm, the upper part thereof is provided With a Weight 16 that is adapted stnnfn'ts 'on f trol the speed ot oscillation aeeordii'lff to 'the .setting ot, the which setting is controlled by u on he iace ot the pendulum yarm.

, lk treu. y ot the erm Si is :i turnier therein two vertical ',lhe .slot l?) ,e situated 'visions oi' a beat in time, Z/Ll, l5/iand .t/eV and the slot 'ided ttor time marked 5i/r f" 'aniple, and it Yfrom top indicutedby :a complee note for the times lo other words, thceperator ot e would invert a baton the slot by coordinating the movement onion 'with the movement oi the pe` dw arm, that is, lowering the onion 'from 'j the iot to the lower port oi the the movement of the pendulum in one direction and from the bottom it Vthe slot to the top dur the movement of the arm oit the pendulum in the other direction7 the operator would have indicated the value ont a quarter note. Gbviously two movements from top to bottom oi the slot would indicate the value of a halt note und four movements would indicate the vaine oi" a Whole note. Similarly, the movement from top to bottom or from bottom to top Would be the value of an eighth note, a half movement in a vertical direction in the slot Would be a sixteenth note, a fourth movement a thirty-second note, and an eighth movement a sixty-fourth note. Thus the entire range ot note values may be indicated by the movement of the baton in the slot.

In order to subdivide the slot for the values under the value of a quarter note, there are provided clips 21 Which frictionally engage over the edge of the slot and project a slight distance beyond the edge of 100 the slot so that in traversing the edge of the slot With the baton, the operator Will cause the baton 'to come into contact with the clip and by bot-h the sense of touch and the sound made from the baton coming into Contact 105 With the ciip, the lapse of time corresponding to the value oi the particular note indicated will be observed.

For instance, in the illustration of Fig. 2, the clip is shown midway of the slot on one n@ side so that when the baton has moved from the graduation mark l, to the graduation mark 23 in the time indicated by the iiiovement of the pendulum arm, the value of a sixteenth note -will have been indicated. Similarly, it -\vill be understood that the value of dotted notes may be indicated as for example the movement from the graduation mark 3 around the edge ot the slotto the graduation mark l would indicate the value ot' a dotted eighth note.

By reference to the graduations on the slot marked 2O it will be noted that the slot is so subdivided as to mark the value of the notes in triple time. the settings and the values being obvious Yfrom the description in relation to the settings and graduations oit the slot 19 provided tor double time.

The device has the advantage ot teaching musical time and rhythm beth by the sense of hearing and by the sense of touch and by its use, the pupil may be taughtthe accurate subdivision ot note values and the values may be accurately demonstrated. By using the device for practicing the beating ot time, the pupil acquires a detinite knowledge oi note valuesand will be enabled to acquire an accurate musical sense ot values` in playing musical instruments. It is intended that the instruction in time and rhythm b v use oi the device disclosed shall be carried on as independent instruction, it havingl been found in practice that it a pupil acquires a definite sense ot time, it may be readily put in practice in playing musical instruments.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the device of the invention attains the results desired. It ivill also be understood that it may be modified in structure Without departingY from the spirit and scope ot the invention and What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for teaching time in music including a plate having an elongated slot formed therein to indicate time value7 said slot being provided with gaduations for subdividing` it into time values, and adjustable devicesl settable on said graduations for indicating the subdivision of' time values.

A device tor teaching time in music in- (findingr al plate hsv-.fing an elrmgated slot termed therein to indicate the time values, said slot being provided With gradita-tions 'tor subdividing it into time values, adjustable devices settable on said graduations for indicating the subdivisions, and a metronome device :tor synchronizing the time value with the time value indicated by the slot.

3. A device it'or teaching time in music including a plate having an elongated slot formed therein to indicate the time values, said slot being provided with graduations for subdividing it into time values, adjustable devices settable on said graduations for indicating the subdivisions, a metronome device Vtor synchronizing the time value With the time value indicated by the slot. and mea ns tor adjusting the tempo of the metronome device.

LEWIS lV. SCUTT. 

